Phase change ink imaging products encompass a wide variety of imaging devices, such as ink jet printers, facsimile machines, copiers, and the like, that are configured to utilize phase change ink to form images on recording media. Some of these devices use phase change ink in a solid form, referred to as solid ink sticks. Imaging devices that utilize solid ink sticks, sometimes referred to as solid ink printers, are typically provided with an ink loader having feed channels for receiving the solid ink sticks. Ink sticks are loaded into the channels through insertion openings. Each feed channel has an insertion region where ink sticks are received after passing through the insertion openings. Once an ink stick is received in the insertion region of a feed channel, the ink stick is urged by a spring-loaded push block toward a melting device located at an end of the channel, i.e., the melt end, where ink sticks are melted to a liquid ink suitable for jetting onto recording media. When multiple ink sticks are inserted into the channel, the ink sticks abut against each other in the channel to form a column of ink that extends between the melt end of the feed channel and the push block.
The ink loader of a solid ink printer is typically situated at or near the top of the printer architecture with the insertion openings for the feed channels reachable from above the printer. An access cover is positioned over the top of the ink loader to control access to the insertion openings as well as to prevent debris and other contaminants from entering the channels during operations. In some devices, the access cover is linked to the push blocks of the feed channels to retract the push blocks to positions behind the insertion regions so that ink sticks may be inserted into the channels in front of the push blocks. When the access cover is closed, the push blocks are moved forward through the insertion regions of the channels to push ink sticks received in the insertion regions toward the melt ends of the channels (and into contact with the trailing ends of the columns of ink therein if ink sticks are already present in the channels).
In devices that have an access cover positioned over the insertion openings, sufficient clearance must be provided be the access cover to be moved through its required range of motion to expose the insertion openings, and in some cases, to retract the push blocks to allow ink sticks to be inserted into the feed channels. Providing sufficient clearance for ink stick insertion and/or for an access cover's range of motion requires the ink loader to be positioned at or near the top surface of the printer. This requirement limits the arrangement and/or selection of printer components. More flexibility in the design and construction of printers is desirable.